"Move Along" 5K Run & 1 Mile Walk

Welcome! We're happy you're here to learn more about the "Move Along" 5K Run & 1 Mile Walk. This family-friendly event, which will take place at Lebanon Valley College on Saturday, April 18th, 2026, is a fundraiser for Covenant House Pennsylvania, an organization providing services for young adults experiencing homelessness. We hope to see you there! 

Not able to join us?

You can still contribute by becoming a sponsor, providing an in-kind donation or service, bringing a food truck to the event or donating funds directly to Covenant House Pennsylvania! 

The 5K and 1 Mile events begin and end on Heisey Road. 1 Mile participants will follow the course to the left, keeping to the walking paths until they meet up with 5K participants near the Arnold Sports Complex. The route continues behind the Complex, and 1 Mile participants will continue along with 5K participants until the parking lot, where 1 Mile participants will keep right. The route ends after participants pass the stadium and finish with 5K participants on Heisey Road. This route is fully accessible. 

The 5K and 1 Mile events begin and end on Heisey Road. 5K participants will then follow the course to the right, starting with some trail sections, and then will meet up with the 1 Mile participants near the Arnold Sports Complex. Past the stadium, 5K participants will keep left and head over Route 934 on the pedestrian bridge. Participants will then go around the baseball stadium and soccer practice fields before returning over the bridge. The route ends after participants pass the stadium and finish with 1 Mile participants on Heisey Road. 

We would like to recognize the following Lebanon Valley College partners who contributed to the success of this event! 

Emily Acri, Visual Content Strategist 

Brian Boyer, Campus Safety Supervisor 

Melissa Byler, Director of LVC Sports Center

Dan Chirico, Chief Financial Officer

Lysandra Collins, Senior Assistant for Academic Affairs

Darlene Dyer, Facilities Business Operations Manager 

Jen Evans, Director of Student Engagement 

Liz Johns, Registration and Scheduling Specialist

Sue Jones, Director of Alumni & Family Engagement

Sam Klopp, Facilities Services Systems & Scheduling Coordinator 

Carol Hanosek, Finance and Administration Business Manager

Tom Hanrahan, Director of Campus Communications 

Kim Hermanson, Executive Assistant to the CFO and Provost 

Stacey Hollinger, Associate Athletic Director, Senior Women Administrator, Compliance Officer 

Susan Kenderline, Director of Advancement Operations

Todd Latshaw, Assistant Controller 

Brandy Leninger, Director of Community Service 

Jenn Linebaugh, Senior Assistant for Student Affairs 

Michelle Maldonado PhD, Provost 

Christina Miles, Associate Director of Digital Marketing

Jani Mitchell, Financial Analyst  

Daniel Nye, Manager of Building Maintenance

James O'Brien, Head Men's and Women's Cross Country Coach 

Gabe Paz, Controller 

Jeff Petritsch, Director of Student Accounts

Pat Ratke, Director of Athletics 

Ryan Schmidt, Manager of Grounds

Melissa Sherwood, Director of Employee Engagement and Campus Events Services

Matt Weaver, VP Advancement, Secretary of the College 

Megan Williams, Assistant Director of Admissions 

Chuck Yasinski, Associate Director of Sports Medicine 

Doug Yingst, Director of Corporate & Athletic Relations

Our thanks to the following food trucks who will join us at the event! 

Got a food truck?

Consider joining us at the event with no registration fee! Express your interest by filling out this form. 

IME 216 Homelessness and Affordable Housing in Our Community 

This event is being organized as part of a college course. The course aims to provide an immersive experience in which students will evaluate the conditions contributing to and maintaining the homelessness crisis and will 1) advocate for fair and affordable housing policies at the local and state government levels, 2) volunteer at local organizations supporting individuals experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, and 3) develop and implement a consciousness-raising project for the campus community. This is our consciousness-raising project, and we appreciate your support!

Below you can find some information about the course instructor and the students in the class, who make up the "Move Along" 5k run / 1 mile walk Executive Board.

Mission:

Covenant House PA (CHPA) builds a bridge to hope for young people experiencing homelessness, human trafficking and other systemic injustices through unconditional love, absolute respect and relentless support. CHPA's doors are open 24/7 and their high quality programs are designed to empower young people to rise and overcome adversity, today and in the future.

Housing: 

As the largest provider for youth experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia and the only one exclusively supporting youth ages 18-21, CHPA operates three facilities in Germantown, Kensington and York County.

Young people arrive at CHPA with dreams that have been disrupted by systemic injustices. The doors are open 24/7 to all young people who need shelter, food, medical and mental healthcare, crisis intervention, educational and vocational support, and an array of supportive services – regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression, in order to provide them with the best chances for success in independence. Since 1999, CHJPA's free, trauma-informed and youth-centric continuum of care has served over 53,000 young people. 

Supportive Services: 

Street Outreach

In vans and on foot, Covenant House outreach workers go out to the neighborhoods, riverfronts, parks, and other places where youth facing homelessness often seek refuge. They offer food and counseling and invite them to come to Covenant House, where their immediate, basic needs can be met. Through sustained contact, CHPA outreach workers build trust with the young people, the first step toward encouraging them to come into our shelters and connect to our services.

Medical & Mental Health

Homelessness impacts young people’s physical and mental well-being in many ways, and because youth are still developing cognitively, physically, psychologically, and emotionally, those impacts can have deep effects. This is even more the case for young people of color and those who identify as LGBTQ, who face unique challenges associated with racism and prejudice. Covenant House welcomes all young people facing homelessness with unconditional love and absolute respect and provides them access to a range of health and well-being services that they can use to heal and rediscover their potential. CHPA's trauma-informed, resilience-focused programs and services range from medical care at their on-site health centers to yoga classes, music lessons, counseling, religious and spiritual services, and sports. In these activities, young people retake control over their lives, build on their strengths, and nourish their self-confidence.

Career & Education

Young people arrive at Covenant House with dreams that have been disrupted by homelessness. Only about 21% are enrolled in school at the time of intake. Advancing educationally and preparing for the world of work are key to a young person’s prospects for leaving homelessness behind. Either directly or through referral, CHPA guides youth to appropriate educational and vocational opportunities, matching each young person’s strengths and abilities with their career interests. CHPA helps them hone the skills they need to join the workforce, become independent, and turn their back on homelessness.

Learn more at https://covenanthousepa.org/

Thank you to all of our sponsors! 

Champion

Sprinter

Pacer

Warm-Up 

Interested in joining this list? Learn more and reach out to us at MoveAlong@lvc.edu 

Early Pickup 

Date & Time 

April 17, 2026

@ 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM EDT 

@ 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM EDT

Location

Lebanon Valley College

Allan W. Mund College Center

White Oak Street

Annville, PA 17003 US

Race Day Packet Pickup 

Date & Time

April 18, 2026

6:45 AM- 7:45 AM EDT 

Location

Lebanon Valley College, North Campus

Heisey Rd, Annville, PA 18003 US 

Packet pickup will be in a big tent near the parking area. 

All sales final. No refunds or exchanges. 

Sponsorship makes this event possible. We are currently seeking a title sponsor at $5,000. If you are interested in being considered for this role, please contact MoveAlong@lvc.edu. 

We invite you to review additional sponsorship opportunities below and complete this form to express interest! 

You can also contribute in-kind donations and services: 

• Snacks (e.g., bananas, granola bars, etc.) for participants at the end of the race

• Bottled drinks (e.g., water, sports drinks) for participants at the end of the race

Got a food truck?

Consider joining us at the event with no registration fee! Express your interest by filling out this form. 

Questions? Contact us at MoveAlong@lvc.edu 

Finisher Medals

All finishers will receive a finisher medal to celebrate their accomplishment! 

T-Shirts

Race t-shirts are guaranteed for participants age 6+ who register through March 29th. You can add a youth t-shirt for free registrants (ages 0-5 years) if desired before that date. A limited number of shirts will be available for purchase on site as supplies last.

Image coming soon! Check back for updates. 

Hats

Dad-style ball caps may be available for purchase on site as supplies last. 

Image coming soon! Check back for updates. 

We picked the name “Move Along” to allude to the ongoing issue of people who are experiencing homelessness being forced to move out of public places. This is something that can be seen in legislation, architecture, and public opinions around the country. As recently as last year, the Supreme Court ruled that cities are allowed to ban people from sleeping outside and on the streets [1]. This is incredibly harmful as it is actively stripping people in these situations of their ability to find somewhere to sleep. Movements have also pushed for what is known as “hostile architecture,” which involves physical barriers being built in order to prevent people camping or sleeping in a public space [2]. This can take many forms, including removal of benches and installation of leaning benches, placement of planter boxes to block open areas, or even raised pieces on flat surfaces to make it uncomfortable to sit or lay on.

Another recurring problem for people who are experiencing homelessness is "sweeps." These are where police officers and/or other city workers will kick people out of an area to "clean it up" [3]. This is not only dehumanizing for the individuals who are displaced but also harmful to their well-being. In these hasty moves people often lose important documents such as birth certificates, social security cards, and personal identification, which makes it significantly harder to file for public assistance, land a job, and get back on their feet. There are also countless stories of people who have lost medications, mobility aids, or other medical necessities, as well as irreplaceable sentimental items such as  photographs of loved ones and family heirlooms. "Sweeps" also confiscate and trash items that people experiencing homelessness need for survival, such as sleeping bags, blankets, and tents. The term "sweeps" itself reinforces stigma and undermines dignity and respect for people experiencing homelessness. Further, consistently being told to "move along" and vacate public areas, but without providing safe spaces in shelters or affordable housing, leaves a very important question unanswered - "move along" to where? [4]

We are using this event as a way to bring awareness to these issues in a meaningful and proactive way. We cannot stand idly by as people in our country are treated so inhumanely. We want to reclaim the term "move along" and turn it into something positive. By helping people experiencing homelessness now, we can help them to someday be able to “move along” to more stable housing and to a better future.

References

[1] J. Ludden, “The Supreme Court says cities can punish people for sleeping in public places,” NPR, Jun. 28, 2024. https://www.npr.org/2024/06/28/nx-s1-4992010/supreme-court-homeless-punish-sleeping-encampments

[2] the Neighborhood Design Center, “Understanding Hostile Architecture: the Cause and Effect of Restricting Public Space,” The Neighborhood Design Center, Oct. 02, 2023. https://ndc-md.org/news-and-stories/understanding-hostile-architecture-the-cause-and-effect-of-restricting 

[3] R. Levi, “Homeless camp sweeps can harm health. some cities are trying a new way.,” Tradeoffs, https://tradeoffs.org/2025/11/20/homeless-camp-sweeps-can-harm-health-some-cities-are-trying-a-new-way/  (accessed Nov. 24, 2025).

[4] Foscarinis, M. (2025). And Housing for All: The Fight to End Homelessness In America. Prometheus. ISBN‎ 978-1633889767.
 

Mission: 

Covenant House PA (CHPA) builds a bridge to hope for young people experiencing homelessness, human trafficking and other systemic injustices through unconditional love, absolute respect and relentless support. Our doors are open 24/7 and our high quality programs are designed to empower young people to rise and overcome adversity, today and in the future. Covenant House is the largest provider for youth experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia and the only one exclusively supporting youth ages 18-21. Supportive services include street outreach, medical and mental health, and career and education. Learn more at https://covenanthousepa.org/.